The Art of Astonishment

Some of this collection in stock. Order now — we'll send it first thing Friday morning

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That Paul Harris has changed the face of close-up magic is undisputed. That Paul Harris continues to be relevant in 2009 is also undisputed. But there’s a lot going on here, so let’s be candid.

Paul Harris burst onto the scene in the mid 70s with a totally new brand of close-up magic. Unlike anyone who came before him, Paul’s material was playful, topological, and way, way outside the box. For the first time, playing cards weren’t suits and numbers—they were pieces of paper that could be torn, linked, peeled, and split. They took on personalities and became vacuum cleaners or damsels in distress. They were inspiring.

Today Paul Harris is a different guy. He’s dropped this playfulness in favor of a much more minimalistic style. His work is focused completely on the effect and the moment and, unfortunately, not at all on the magician. It’s the David Blaine/street magic approach, and we get that, but we prefer vintage Paul Harris.

So while Paul continues to be relevant, know that his line of products today is very different than the Paul Harris who made his mark in the annals of close-up magic.

Which brings us to The Art of Astonishment. These books are a TREMENDOUS value, and represent the complete canon his early books and booklets. These books are SO MUCH FUN to read, and the tricks are really cool. They are unlike anything you’ve read, we’re sure, and the style he uses is fun and easy to follow. The trilogy also features what was, at the time, “new” material that represents a sea change in Paul’s outfit. Some of this stuff is great too, and some of it is more indicative of his current output. You’re getting a good range.

These books are modern classics that are on the shelves of all serious magic students. But what you’re buying here is a neat, remastered set of all the old Paul Harris books. If you were to collect them all one by one, it would cost hundreds of dollars. Here, you’re saving money, getting all his best tricks in three volumes, and getting 73 new pieces to boot.

In the age of DVDs, we can’t emphasize enough that books are a MUCH BETTER VALUE. For substantially less than Paul’s new DVD series, you’re getting over 200 classic effects. TWO HUNDRED EFFECTS. Compared to the new DVD series, where it’s far less than 50? This series is a fantastic value, and one that you’ll enjoy forever.

Customer reviews for The Art of Astonishment

John

I've studied and performed magic for 50 years.In these books you find thousands of dollars worth of genius effects for $135.What are you waiting for ?

Donavon

I refer to this series every time I am building a new act. These books are full of useable effects as well as ideas that, with a little bit of extra work, can become mainstays in a performer's repertoire. This series is well worth the purchase price. .

How our UK shipping works

We ship to you directly from within the UK. While most other UK magic shops hide what happens behind the scenes, we want you to know exactly how things work. Here's the timeline:

Sending to our UK warehouse

Typically takes 2 - 3 days

We send UK orders in batch to the UK from our USA warehouse every day. This way you avoid expensive international shipping fees and taxes.

We keep our most popular products in stock in the UK so often this step is skipped.

Repacking and sending to you

We send packages out via MyHermes the same day that we receive them. This is a popular, secure, trackable courier service.

We send you tracking info

Typically takes 2 days

As soon as the package is dispatched you'll receive a link to track it on this page. While they don't offer any guarantees, MyHermes tend to deliver your order within two days.

Who runs the Vanishing Inc. Magic Store?

Professional magicians Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin are the cofounders of Vanishing Inc. Magic shop. But, every single member of the team is a skilled magician.